TBA Sales Complex, Gosforth Park, South Africa27 - 28 April 2014

The 2014 sales aggregate rose from R122,533 million last year to R138,415 million (an increase of 13%). Average prices increased by 17% from 2013 with average price increasing from R295,260 to R347,776. However, it was the median price which rose most notably, jumping by an impressive 20%. The 2014 median price of the National Sale was R240,000, while in the 2013 the median was R200,000. Pleasingly, fewer lots failed to make their reserve with just 26 yearlings failed to sell (35 failed to make their reserve a year earlier). The highest price paid for a yearling at the 2014 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale was R3,750,000, which is marginally up on last years sale topping price of R3,600,000.

Top priced yearling of the 2014 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale came in the form of lot 38, a Silvano full-brother to former Grade 1 J&B Met winner, Martial Eagle. The colt, who was named Nebula, was sold by Wilgerbosdrift Stud and knocked down to Park Bloodstock for R3,750,000.

Top priced filly at the 2014 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale, was also sold on the first day of the sale. An unnamed daughter of Western Winter and high-class racemare Shes On Fire, the filly was sold to new buyers, Ridgemont Stud, for R2,000,000. A half sister to recent East Cape Oaks winner Shes A Pippa, the filly was consigned by Klipdrif Stud (As agent).

Bloodstock agent John Freeman was the sales leading buyer. Freeman purchased 20 lots for R16,650,000, and his purchases included the sales second top lot, a R2.8 million Dynasty colt. Form Bloodstock were second on the list, ahead of Park Bloodstock, Misty Meadows, and Mike Bass Racing.

Wilgerbosdrift, who had an excellent sale, were the leading vendors by aggregate at the National Sale. The farm sold 20 lots for a gross total of R11,895,000, and topped the vendors list ahead of Klipdrif (Agent), Varsfontein Stud, and Mauritzfontein Stud.

Proven sires were all the rage with buyers, and Champion Sire Silvano was the sales leading sire by aggregate. His 28 lots to sell fetched R17,680,000, ahead of Captain Al, Western Winter, Var and Dynasty.

Top sire by average was the late Western Winter, whose 17 yearlings sold averaged R795,588. No fewer than five yearlings sired by Western Winter fetched R1,000,000 plus.

CEO Tom Callaghan was delighted by the sales outcome. He said afterwards, “I am absolutely ecstatic. It was a genuine sale, where the right page and the right horse inevitably went for good money. The aggregate and median increases are very exciting, and yet again underlines that fact that we are growing the value of the South African thoroughbred. Buyers really enjoyed the sale, and were really delighted by their purchases. However, the sale also indicated the importance of vendors placing their horses in the right sales. The atmosphere was wonderful, as was the attendance, and the sale in all likelihood also benefitted from the recent Triple Crown win by Louis The King.”